I Choose You and Pikachu Too
by pyroleigh
Summary: Zelda is running from her past and takes a job at the Pokèmon Reserve, where neglected and abused pokemon are taken in and rehabilitated. She meets the owner and finds herself drawn in not only by the way he cares for the pokemon but also by the way he helps her. Zike, filled with lots of pokemon, hurt/comfort, and fluff.
1. Chapter 1

Zelda stepped from her car onto the rough gravel road with a nervous exhale. This was the place. She needed a new start, a new job, basically a whole new life. This was where she hoped to find it. The Pokèmon Reserve. She knew very little about it but the ad in the paper had been asking for someone with a good work ethic that did not mind long days. With a room tossed in as a perk she could hardly say no.  
Her boots crunched across the gravel as she approached the big porch that wrapped around the old three story house. As soon as her foot touched the first step she heard a soft noise behind her. Curious, she stopped and turned around to see a pink blob smiling up at her. Behind it a bright yellow Pichu leapt up and sat on it's head.  
"Pi!" It squeaked the noise happily at her and she smiled.  
"Hi there." She crouched on the step and the pink blob moved her way. As the Pichu hopped off it's head the blob transformed into a slightly off looking Pichu. "You must be Ditto," she guessed with a smile. "You're very good at that transformation, you should be proud."  
"Pi!" Pichu rubbed its little head against the Ditto and then ran off, the copy chasing after it.  
"Can I help you?" A deep voice startled her and Zelda whirled to see a tall and broad shouldered man at the top of the steps, a Pikachu balanced on his shoulder.  
"Pika pi!" The Pikachu sniffed the air as she smiled at the man.  
"I'm Zelda, I called about the job?" Her eyes roamed from the curious Pikachu to the man who stood there with a neutral expression.  
"I'm Ike," he said after a moment as he held out a hand. A wave of relief washed over Zelda and she stepped up to the second step to shake his hand. The roughness of his palm felt like the exact opposite of her own soft one, but she returned the firm handshake. He released her hand and she smiled at the Pikachu.  
"Who's this?" she asked and Ike held out his arm.  
"Pikachu, say hi," he spoke with a slightly softer tone. The pikachu did just that. It hopped onto his outstretched arm and held out a tiny yellow paw.  
"Pika pi! Pikachu!" it squeaked happily and she laughed as she stuck out a finger. The cute little one gripped her finger and shook it, making Zelda feel like she passed some sort of test.  
"If you're interested in the job," Ike spoke as he walked around her and stepped down onto the gravel, "I guess you should see what all it entails." Zelda followed behind him, eyes going from the obvious muscle under his shirt to the cute pikachu that watched her.  
"Pika!"  
"Don't you start with me," Ike chided and Zelda smiled at them, not understanding anything but loving their interactions already. They approached the side of the house and Zelda stopped in her tracks.  
"Wow," she whispered and Ike turned back to her with a raised eyebrow.  
"Welcome to the Reserve," he said and Zelda looked at him before taking a few steps forward in silent awe. An Ivysaur rambled by with three Bulbasaurs following it as they chattered amongst themselves. An Oddish hopped over an Ekans, the latter obviously content to lie on the sun warmed grass.  
It was a large clearing, surrounded by trees that hid other pokemon from view. Zelda walked farther into the clearing and felt Ike step with her. "This is amazing," she barely breathed the words as a Spearow landed on a nearby tree.  
"I take them in, but I don't make them stay," Ike commented as he lowered his pikachu to the ground. "The point of this place is rehabilitation. All of them you see here, and the ones I'll show you in a moment, have been injured, abused, neglected, or otherwise treated unfairly. I take them in, heal their wounds, get them healthy, and then let them go if they wish."  
"They were abused?" She was shocked to hear that. While she had never had a pokemon as a child she had never witnessed those around her treat theirs with anything other than the highest respect.  
"Humans can be cruel creatures," Ike replied ominously as he moved farther into the clearing. "Come on, there's plenty more to see."  
Zelda eagerly followed Ike into the trees, his pikachu hot on her heels. She smiled and slowed down, shocked when the small yellow being hopped onto her hip and climbed to her shoulder.  
"Pikachu!" it cried happily as it settled down and Ike looked at them with a look she could not name.  
"I don't keep them separated," Ike explained as he continued on through the trees, "and I don't make them stay near the house. Most of them were kept in too small of cages, locked in pokeballs forgotten by their owners... I don't want them to feel that way again. They do tend to naturally stick together with similar types, but the more adventurous ones will wander. Come here," he motioned and Zelda stepped beside him to see through the trees.  
Ahead of them was another clearing, this one a wide expanse filled with bright clean water. Zelda smiled in awe as two Squirtles blew bubbles at a sleeping Snorlax that seemed content to take up the majority of the green grass as it snoozed.  
"Goldeen!" The call caught Zelda's attention and she looked to see a group of ten leap from the water in a dazzling sparkle.  
"Karp karp!" a slightly distressed call made Ike sigh.  
"Magikarp," he spoke as he moved towards the edge of the water, stepping over the Snorlax's legs, "you gotta stop hopping out buddy." Zelda watched with amusement as Ike hoisted the massive fish in his arms and tossed it back into the water with ease.  
"Squirtle!" one of the two ran over to him and Zelda watched as it blew out a steady stream of bubbles. To her amazement Ike leapt up and stood on the bubbles, letting them carry him over the water. His eyes met hers and she saw a genuine happiness there that made her heart melt.  
"Seel see!" A Seel popped up in the middle of the water and Ike leapt from the bubbles onto it's back with a shout.  
"Good girl Seel," he complimented as it breezed through the water back to the bank. Ike hopped from there onto the grass and knelt before the Squirtle. "You're my little troublemaker huh? Let Snorlax sleep, he gets grumpy if you don't."  
"Squirtle squirt!" The duo ran off and Ike stood up. He looked at Zelda and she shook her head.  
"This is amazing. What else is here?" Ike eyed her for a silent moment and she knew he was sizing her up. It felt like a pivotal moment, as if this was a silent test she needed to pass.  
"I've got an incredibly difficult Charizard locked up in her own pen, but I'm handling her. There's some fire types in the next clearing, the rock ones like to hang out closer to the mountain at the edge of the property... and then inside the house I have some of the calming ones." Ike motioned for her to follow him and she gladly did, happy that she seemed to pass whatever test he had silently administered.  
"Every Thursday morning the veteran's hospital sends out a group of soldiers who are having difficulty with adjusting. I usually keep them inside the house with easy to manage Pokemon. Jigglypuff, Clefairy, basically the soothing ones and the healing ones."  
"You help out the vets?" Zelda was impressed but curious. "Its a noble thing to do but why?"  
"I help them because I wouldn't be here without Pikachu and I know exactly what they're going through." Ike kept walking farther into the trees, effectively cutting the conversation off as she tried to process the information.  
"Ike?" she called out to him as she tried to catch up, only to find her path blocked by a small swarm of angry Beedrills.  
"Pika!" Pikachu leapt from her shoulder, the red spots on his cheeks sparking in warning.  
"Cover your nose Pikachu!" Ike's shout made Zelda look to see him rushing back to them on the back of an angry looking Onix. As they got closer he tossed a canister onto the ground that spewed a little smoke and the Beedrills scattered quickly. Pikachu rushed back up Zelda's shoulder and buried his face in the thin fabric of her shirt.  
Onix stopped before them and Ike held out a hand for her. Warily Zelda took it and felt Ike haul her up with ease. As he set her behind himself Pikachu hopped from her shoulder to sit in front of Ike.  
"What was that?" Zelda asked as she warily placed her hands on the rough rocky protrusion before her.  
"A repellent. The Beedrills aren't a problem on their own but when they group up like that into a swarm they're a menace. I try to keep them out but they're attracted to the fruit trees and bushes that are scattered around here. Hold on tight, Onix isn't the smoothest ride."  
With that warning the rocks under her shifted and off they went. A squeak left Zelda's lips and she instinctively wrapped her arms around his middle. She felt him chuckle but was too terrified to let go as the greenery flew by.  
"Char!" A bright orange flame shot at them and Zelda felt the Onix slow. She slowly released Ike and looked at the indignant Charmander glaring up at them.  
"What is it?" Ike asked as he hopped down with Pikachu in his arms.  
"Char char!" The little lizard ran off and Ike looked to her.  
"Come on, he's got something to show us." He held out a hand and Zelda gratefully took it as she climbed from the Onix's back. The second she was on solid ground the pokemon burrowed underneath the dirt. Ike let her hand go and walked towards some trees.  
"Char char char!"  
"Bulba!"  
"Char!"  
Zelda hurried and caught up to Ike who stood there watching the arguing pokemon with a bored expression. Between the Charmander and the Bulbasaur was a small fruit, obviously the source of the tension.  
"It's a real shame," Ike spoke up as he dug another piece of fruit from his pocket and the duo turned to him. "I was going to let Zelda here give this to a well behaved pokemon but obviously there's none here." Ike turned to her and held out the fruit. "Why don't you see if Ponyta wants this?"  
"Char!" Zelda watched with amusement as the flame tailed one backed off and waddled over to her. "Charmander! Char!" She looked to Ike who just watched her. Internally Zelda sighed. Another test. Determined to pass, she crouched down so she was eye level with the pokemon.  
"Are you going to stop fighting?"  
"Char!" it emphatically cried with a nod.  
"Do you promise?"  
"Charmander!" With a laugh Zelda held out the fruit and the tiny claws of the Charmander snatched it from her fingers quickly. As it ran off with the coveted fruit the Bulbasaur grabbed the one they had been fighting over and wandered off into the trees.  
"Did I pass your test?" Zelda asked as she stood up and met Ike's gaze. He looked down at his Pikachu and transferred it to his shoulder before he responded.  
"You did. Were you raised around them?"  
"No, I never had one I mean. My parents were always worried about them not being domesticated enough. I had friends with them but I was never really allowed to be near them for extended periods of time."  
"I'm glad you don't subscribe to the same views as your parents then," Ike said as he began walking again. "Come on, I better show you the house if you want the job." An excited smile spread across Zelda's face and she quickly followed him back the way they had come.

XxX  
The long walk back to the house was pleasantly silent. Ike had set a hard pace for her to keep up with, but she refused to comment on it as they moved. Before she even realized it they were at the back door of the massive home, and they climbed the back steps together.  
"The first floor has the kitchen, living room, dining room, and various spaces for the indoor pokemon," Ike explained as he held open the back door for her. Zelda acknowledged the gesture with a grateful nod and stepped inside. Wooden flooring polished to a beautiful shine stretched out beneath her feet, leading to the vast open area with rising columns that stopped at the base of the second floor.  
A happy sounding trill caught Zelda's attention and she looked to see a fluffy Eevee coming out of a side room. The little paws on the wooden floor skidded to a stop and Zelda found herself on the receiving end of an adorable growl.  
"E," Ike's voice was at Zelda's side, startling her a little, "don't be like that. Say hi to Zelda, she's here to help me take care of the others."  
"Ee!" The little Eevee turned her back on them and trotted off, tail flicking back and forth with such sass Zelda was taken aback.  
"Sorry about her," Ike said with a hint of amusement in his voice.  
"She certainly didn't like me," Zelda remarked as Ike motioned to the stairs on the right side of the room.  
"Eevee was a trophy to her old owner," Ike explained as they walked. "Her owner trimmed and fluffed and practically ruined her fur trying to win ridiculous beauty contests. When she stopped winning due to the excessive grooming, her owner beat her and tossed her out like trash."  
"Oh goddesses," Zelda frowned after the doorway that Eevee had vanished into.  
"I found her half frozen from all the hair loss." Ike pulled Pikachu from his shoulder and set him on the stairs.  
"Pika pika!" The yellow fur dashed up the stairs and they followed at a slower pace.  
"What did you do? She looks gorgeous now."  
"I trapped her in a net and wrapped her in about four towels to transport her back here. I had to get Jigglypuff to put her to sleep because the second I set her loose she attacked me..." Ike turned to her and shook his head. "I had to shave her practically bald and she hated me for months. I couldn't feed her, couldn't play with her, forget even trying to treat her wounds. After about a month of getting attacked and growled at I locked her and myself up in the room and just sat with her."  
"Did it work?" Zelda asked as they made it to the second floor.  
"No. She went crazy. I didn't know she had been trained to fight but she knew some moves and I was a bleeding and burned mess after about an hour. Pikachu broke through the door and looked ready to kill her for injuring me but I calmed him down enough to bring me a potion and while I sat there spraying myself with the medicine I think something clicked in her stubborn head.  
"Now she considers herself the queen of the house. If she doesn't like a different pokemon she lets them and me know. That little bit of attitude down there was her showing you that she doesn't care but, if you're willing to put in the time, you could get her to warm up to you." Ike opened a shut door and Zelda followed him curiously.  
Inside was a spacious bedroom. Painted a soft and soothing blue with cherry stained wooden furniture, Zelda immediately felt at home. On the far wall was a massive window with a seat built in, looking out over the property. She went to the window and smiled in awe of the pokemon she could see from her vantage point. Flashes of red, orange, and blue shone through the trees as they milled about.  
"This place is amazing," she whispered more to herself. Ike hummed and she turned to him with a slight blush.  
"If you want the job it's yours," he said with a guarded expression. "It's not all cuddling Pikachu. We have to heal, feed, and clean them. They have to trust you and you have to be ready to earn it. I've had a few people take this job and think they were going to walk away with their own pokemon and that's not what this is. They aren't mine to give away. They're their own creatures, I'm just here to help them get better."  
"Ike I love what you're doing here for them," Zelda said as she glanced out the window once more. "It's amazing and I would be honored to be apart of it."  
"Alright," his lips twitched upwards momentarily, "you can start whenever. You want the room right?"  
"This room?" Zelda asked with wonder as she looked at the space he was offering.  
"Yeah, I'm not exactly going to lead you to mine." Zelda blushed at that and looked away. "If you want the room it's yours. Just let me know if you need help moving anything. We'll fill out all the paperwork when you get settled in." He turned towards the door and Zelda took a steadying breath.  
"I've only got two suitcases of stuff, it's all in the car." Ike looked back at her with a hint of confusion, as if he was waiting for more information. Zelda bit her lips together, hoping he would not ask too many questions.  
"You need help bringing them up?" A wave of relief washed over her with that question. As she shook her head he nodded. "Alright, I'm gonna start on dinner and see if Eevee will be polite or not. Just come downstairs when you're done alright?"  
"Pika!" Pikachu hopped on the big bed and a low chuckle rumbled out of Ike's chest.  
"Don't get in her way okay?" With that Zelda met Ike's eyes once more and she could not look away as he turned and left her with his pokemon.  
"Pika pika!" Pikachu called and Zelda sat on the edge of the bed, happily petting his soft fur.  
"Do you think this will work out better for me Pikachu? I... goddesses I can't go back."  
"Pika pi?" He tilted his head and she shook the dark thoughts from her mind. This would work out. It had to.

**XXX**  
**I've been playing Smash Bros. Ultimate and Let's Go Eevee and... now I'm hooked on this idea. Hope you enjoy I already have chapter 2 written. Let me know what you think. Much love, Leigh **


	2. Chapter 2

The kitchen had always been a favorite room for Ike. He had loved watching his mom glide around the spacious room whipping up meals and treats as a child. He tried to keep the same colors when he restored his childhood home, with the soft green walls and white wooden cabinets topped with pearlescent white marble. The work had been hard but he had needed the project at the time.  
As he bent to grab a better cutting board a sharp pain coursed down the length of his spine. A soft hiss left his lips at the sensation and he held still to try and wait it out.  
"Pika?" Pikachu's concerned cry made Ike turn a small grin his way.  
"Just old wounds buddy," he promised as he grabbed the board and set it on the free floating island he had designed himself. It was the one thing that ruined the illusion of his childhood because it was the one thing his mother had always wanted but never had. "Is Zelda getting settled in upstairs?" he asked his companion.  
"Pika pika! Pi pi pi!" Pikachu was ecstatic about her, a thing Ike was doing his best to ignore.  
"I think she'll be a good fit for the place," he responded as he began to chop the vegetables. "I've gotta check on Charizard before it gets to be too late... where's my E?"  
"E ev eevee!" the enthusiastic response made Ike smile a little as he turned to see one of his favorite rescues.  
"Hey my girl," he acknowledged as he dropped a small fruit for her to grab. "We've got to talk about what happened with Zelda earlier."  
"E e," the stubborn pokemon shook her head back and forth.  
"E," Ike knelt down and gently scratched at her ears, "she won't hurt you. Zelda is new I know, but I promise you that she will treat you with as much love as you deserve." With that he kissed Eevee's head and went back to chopping the vegetables for dinner, happy to once more be cooking for more than one person.  
As he chopped and dodged around the little creatures playing at his feet Ike tried not to let his mind wander. He had seen hell with war and had come back with both physical and mental scars that seemed to not want to heal. If he let a dark thought out it would spiral down into nightmares again. Ike quickly shook his head and moved to grab a pan to make the stir fry, forcing his mind to anything else.  
He thought of Charizard out in her pen, the massive dragon had been nothing but trouble so far but he felt like they were reaching the breaking point. The thought of a wounded woman brought him to Zelda. He knew something more was going on there than she had disclosed. When she had brought up her two bags in the car he had witnessed a flash of worry in her eyes. Ike knew that worry. He had lived with that worry. So he had politely ignored it.  
As the oil warmed in the pan he turned to grab all of his ingredients, ears alert to the sound of Zelda going up the stairs with heavy sounding bags. He briefly thought of helping but the low growl from Eevee made him stop. Zelda was trying to be independent and not knowing her past he was going to be on eggshells around her.  
"Pika pi?" Pikachu caught his attention with the questioning call. He looked down to see the yellow pokemon staring up at him expectantly and he shook his head.  
"Don't even think about it," he chided as he tossed in the ingredients. They hissed as they hit the pan and immediately the room smelled like home to Ike. As he poured in the sauce he heard the stairs creak, a sure sign that Zelda was on her way. He thought it odd that she did not want to put up her clothes yet, but yet again he kept it to himself.  
"It smells amazing in here," Zelda said as she entered the kitchen and Ike looked over his shoulder at her.  
"Not to brag but I know," he said as he stirred the pan. "Did you get your bags up okay?"  
"Yeah I did. Hi Pikachu... hi Eevee."  
"E!" Ike felt Eevee hide behind him and he shook his head.  
"Give her time. New people aren't easy for her."  
"I know how that feels," Zelda mumbled the words and Ike was unsure if he should acknowledge them or not.  
"I figured tomorrow we could start training you. The work shouldn't be too much. Most of them out there are healing well so it's just checking progress and maybe some medicine if they need it."  
"You said something about a Charizard?" Zelda asked and Ike turned to her with a nod.  
"She's too dangerous I don't want you going in her pen."  
"What happened to her?" Zelda asked as she leaned on the island and Ike sighed.  
"Same thing as the rest of them. She was abused, malnourished, and I think she's made a nest in there so she's extra volatile." Ike pulled the pan from the heat and moved to grab two plates.  
As he dished out the servings he looked to see her watching him with a guarded expression. The wariness in her gaze was disconcerting so Ike did something that he never thought he would. He set down a plate in front of her and cleared his throat.  
"I take them in and everything because I know what it's like to be beaten down and ready to give up. I was ready to give up on everything until I ran into Pikachu..." he trailed off and looked down at the food he had made for them, trying to focus his thoughts.  
"Ike..." she seemed hesitant and he looked right at her. Their eyes locked and he saw her flinch slightly. He was pushing it with her, he could tell, so he backed off. He turned and grabbed a fork for both of them and held one out for her.  
"I'm going to check on Charizard," he explained as she took the offered utensil. "When I get back in I'll show you where the bedding is. Take your time eating, walk around downstairs... I've got some good books on the various types of Pokemon in the small library down here if you're interested."  
With that he turned and made his way to the backdoor he had led her through not too long ago, Eevee on his heels. As he went down the steps and into the grass he began to eat his dinner, eyes moving over the various creatures as he passed them. Most of the grass types ignored the man as he moved, only a Oddish hopped after him a few steps.  
It was quite a trek through the trees to get to where he had penned the Charizard but Ike liked to see his current guests as the sun set on another day. As he moved past the small pond he had shown Zelda earlier he felt the ground under his feet rumble.  
"I'll take the ride Onix," he said loudly and let out a huff of a laugh when the rock pokemon leapt up from the ground under his feet. Eevee barely had enough time to jump into his arms before Onix took off. As the trees flew past in a blur of green Ike looked at the pokemon in his arms.  
"E!" She seemed happy enough but he knew she was jealous and worried about there being another female in the house.  
"You're my favorite little princess E," he complimented as he looked at the pens they were fast approaching. "Woah Onix."  
The pokemon slowed and Ike hopped down with a grunt. He let Eevee jump from his arms to the ground as he eyed the biggest pen he had built. It was larger than the three story house he called home, loaded with a fresh water tank and food dispenser set to a timer. It had everything necessary to take care of a massive injured pokemon and unfortunately that was exactly what it held.  
"Chary!" Ike yelled as he approached the side door. "Chary I'm coming in." He kept his shout loud as he opened the door and stepped into the pen. A threatening low growl from the opposite end of the pen told Ike where she was hiding.  
"Hey there pretty lady," he spoke in a low voice as he held his hands up to show he meant no harm, "I'm just here to check on you. How's the wing?" A low growl and a sprout of flame was his only response and Ike sighed as he blindly reached behind him and pulled the lever to tilt the slats. As the fading light of day poured in from the ceiling he finally saw her. Charizard was a massive pokemon, a being able to turn him into a pile of ashes if he upset her. Ike had been burned by her before and was wary of every flick of her tail.  
"E!" The worried cry of Eevee drew Ike's attention momentarily.  
"I'm okay E, Chary and I are just talking." He ran a critical eye over the pokemon. A frown creased his brow as he noticed the way her broken wing hung down to brush against the floor. "Oh Chary..."  
A snarl left the snout of Chary and Ike nodded as he backed out of the enclosure. He needed to treat her broken wing but knew that she would not let him anywhere near her. He shut the door and bolted it, eyes moving up the side of the fireproof metal. A groan left his lips as he began to climb up the side. This was a stupid idea and he knew it.  
The second he was standing on the roof of the pen he pulled out the small spray bottle of Super Potion from his pocket and shook it. That wing needed healing and since he did not have Jigglypuff handy he was going to have to do it the old fashioned way. Ike unscrewed the lid and took a steadying breath. This was going to hurt. With a final grunt that seemed to acknowledge his own stupidity Ike rushed forward.  
As he ran across the open slats he heard the pokemon let out a threatening growl. He glanced down into the pen and saw Charizard directly beneath him. He turned the bottle over and dumped the contents down onto the broken wing as the pokemon raised her head. Ike saw the flame leave her snout but refused to move as the last of the potion left the bottle. As it hit the wing directly he felt the flames scorch his legs through his pants.  
An exclamation of agony left Ike's lips as he fell forward, dangerously close to falling off the edge of the enclosure. At over three stories high the fall would have the possibility of being fatal. Ike blinked away the fogginess of shock and focused past the smell of his singed flesh to summon enough energy to call out.  
"Onix!" His shout had the desired effect. The rock pokemon leapt up into the air and he let himself topple from the enclosure onto the back with a pained grunt. Eevee squeaked with worry as she sniffed at his now ruined pants and Ike chuckled. "Don't worry E, this isn't the worst thing I've ever been through. Get me back to the house Onix."  
"Onix!" The pokemon took off and Ike barely held on as the scenery flew by.

XxX  
Ike was unceremoniously dropped off roughly onto the porch. Onix quickly took off as the grass pokemon began to gather and chatter around him. He winced as he rolled onto his stomach and came face to face with Eevee. "Go get the Burn Potion," he said between clenched teeth and the pokemon took off with a nod, her little paws skittering over the wooden planks. "I'm alright," he assured the gathered crowd of curious eyes.  
"Oddish..." the little one hopped up and down beside him and he shook his head.  
"Bulba! Bulba bulba." Bulbasaur pushed through to the front of the group and Ike hissed in pain as the curious pokemon poked his scorched skin with a vine.  
"I will prune the next one that touches me," he warned as he pulled himself into a sitting position.  
"E! Eevee e!" He turned his head and smiled in relief to see his little helper come back with the potion bottle in her mouth.  
"Thank you E," he praised as he took it and began spraying his legs. He bit back the cry of agony as his skin began to rapidly heal, unaware of the other footsteps coming out on the porch.  
"Goddesses Ike! What happened?" Zelda knelt down beside him, a worried line creasing her brow.  
"Charizard has a broken wing and I had to treat it. I climbed on top of the pen and poured the potion on her and let's just say she was less than thrilled." He leaned back on his hands, shutting his eyes as the potion worked its magic.  
"Do you need to go to the hospital?" Zelda asked warily and he felt her hand gently rest on his thigh above the burns.  
"No I modified the potions for the pokemon to be used by humans," he explained as he opened his eyes and found her holding his Pikachu in her other hand.  
"Pika..." he looked worried and Ike gave him a little grin.  
"I'm alright buddy, nothing I haven't dealt with before." He raised his hand and carefully scratched Pikachu's head, mindful of how close Zelda was holding him.  
"Is she really that dangerous?" Zelda asked and Ike shrugged.  
"Some of them are, hence why I said I don't want you going in there." He looked up at her worried face and shook his head. "I've been through hell, this is nothing." Zelda bit her lips together and he had to fight the urge to reach out and stop her from doing it. The thought surprised him but he looked away quickly, unsure what brought it on.  
"I hope," he spoke carefully as he began wiggling his toes to see if they had feeling again, "that this doesn't scare you off from the job." An incredulous laugh left her lips and he felt her hand squeeze his thigh before she removed it.  
"Not at all, you just had me worried." The notion that someone was worried about him warmed a bit of his heart and Ike quickly shut that feeling down. It had been awhile since someone else was worried about him.  
"I'm fine," he responded as he pulled himself up to his feet. "My legs will just be hairless for awhile. Now come on, I've gotta show you where the bedding is and I should really get some new pants." Zelda laughed and together they walked into the house.

XXX  
Chapter 2 down! I hope you've enjoyed so far. More hijinks and pokemon are coming up, along with some smashers we all know and love. Let me know what you think. Much love, Leigh


	3. Chapter 3

As the world was bathed in shades of red outside of the large window Zelda felt an odd sense of peace in her entire body for the first time in a long time. Ike was grabbing the bedding for her, Pikachu was curled up in her arms, and Eevee sat in the doorway with suspicious eyes. As Ike entered the room Zelda stood from the window seat and set Pikachu on a pillow.  
"The house doesn't get too cold at night," Ike explained as he held out a large handmade blanket in a soft purple and blue, "but if you need more blankets just grab one from the closet." Zelda took the blanket and admired the stitching silently as he moved to the bare mattress with a fitted sheet.  
"This blanket is soft," she commented as she set it down to help.  
"Mom was always crazy about making them," he responded as he began to unfold the fitted sheet and turn it. "She always made everyone at Christmas a new blanket."  
"She should sell them, people love homemade blankets." A silence stretched between them and Zelda felt like she had put her foot in her mouth.  
"Yeah," he said in light tone she immediately saw through, "I'm sure she would have sold a lot of them."  
"Ike I'm-"  
"You didn't know," he cut her off with a gentle voice. "My dad, mom, and my sister are gone."  
"Ike..." Zelda was not a hugger but she knew he needed one and immediately went to his side. As her arms went around his middle she felt him tense before he relaxed slightly. "I'm sorry."  
"It's been a few years," he said as he stepped back from her arms and motioned to the bed. "Let's get you set up. If I'm not in the middle of my bed before E decides she's going to sleep I won't have any space." Zelda nodded, silently noting that the redness of his cheeks was adorable, before she moved to help finish making the bed. As the last corner was tucked under he tossed a pillowcase on the bed and silently moved to the door.  
"Oh," he hesitated and turned back to her, "if you want you can leave the door open but don't be surprised if you wake up with a pokemon or two. I always leave mine open for E and Pikachu to get around... I have some of the fairy types in the house and usually wake up to one of them on me in some way." Zelda laughed a little at that and nodded. With that said Ike offered a slightly awkward wave before he bent and scooped Eevee into his arms. Zelda watched them leave and turned to see Pikachu hopping from his spot at the window to follow them.  
"This is going to be okay," she whispered as she sat on the bed and grabbed the pillowcase.

XxX  
Sleep found her quickly, but so did her nightmares. They plagued her almost nightly. Memories of the past few years of her life had a way of screaming at her subconscious to the point that she woke up in tears.  
As she jolted awake Zelda was immediately aware of the hands holding her wrists to a solid chest. "Zelda!" Ike's deep voice cut through the fog of sleep and she immediately tried to jerk her hands away. "It's okay, you're safe. Are you awake?"  
"Yes," she nodded quickly and he immediately let her wrists go. Zelda jerked them back and curled her knees to her chest, embarrassment and fear fueling her tears.  
"I didn't mean to scare you," Ike said in a soft voice as he stood up to give her some space. "You were screaming and thrashing so bad I was afraid you would hurt yourself."  
"I'm sorry," she whispered as she squeezed her eyes shut.  
"Don't apologize," he said quickly. "I'll grab you a glass of water." With that he left the room and Zelda gasped down a shaky breath.  
"Pika?" Pikachu hopped up on her bed and she immediately scooped the yellow pokemon into her arms. He rubbed his little face against hers, the soft yellow fur whisking away her tears as fast as they fell.  
"Here." Ike came back into the room with a glass in one hand and a Jigglypuff balanced on his shoulder. As he handed her the water she mumbled her thanks and watched the ball float from his shoulder to her bed.  
"Puff! Jigglypuff!" The pink pokemon waved at her as she tried to sip the water.  
"Jigglypuff here helped me get through the worst of the nights when I first got back," Ike explained as he patted the top of what Zelda assumed counted as the puffball's head. "She can knock you out into a dreamless sleep for the rest of the night if you want."  
"How?" Zelda asked warily as she lowered the empty cup.  
"Let me get back to my room and then ask her to sing for you." Zelda looked up at him, saw the unasked questions in his eyes, the concern that made his brow furrow, and felt a little better beneath her embarrassment.  
"I don't want to talk about it," she admitted in what she hoped was a strong voice. Ike nodded and took the empty glass.  
"I wasn't going to ask, but if you want to talk I'm here. Pikachu, are you coming?"  
"Pika pi," he shook his little head and Zelda felt him snuggle closer to her chest.  
"I think he's worried about you," Ike commented as he set the empty glass on the bedside table. "If you want me to take him I can."  
"No," she shook her head and stroked Pikachu's head gently. Ike nodded and moved to the door. "Ike?" He paused and turned back to her, Zelda only then realizing how disheveled he looked with wild hair and no shirt. He must have been fully asleep when she woke him up.  
"Yeah?" Ike asked a he ran a hand through his mussed hair.  
"Thank you... and I'm sorry."  
"I told you not to apologize," he chided gently before he turned and left her room, leaving the door cracked just enough for Pikachu to squeeze out if he wanted.  
"Pika?" Pikachu wiggled in her arms and she let him go. He plopped down right beside where she was sitting, obviously waiting for her to continue the cuddles. She smiled and obliged, her hand running down his small back as she laid down and got settled.  
"Puff?" Jigglypuff hopped up onto Zelda's side and blinked its massive eyes at her.  
"Will you please sing for me?" Zelda asked, feeling a little silly.  
"Puff!" It hopped up and down happily and then grew serious. It swayed from side to side and opened its mouth, surprising Zelda with the soft voice that immediately had her eyes drooping. "Jigglypuff... Jigglypuff..."

XxX  
"Pikachu!" The call woke Zelda up. She blinked the morning sun from her eyes and found Pikachu standing on all fours in front of her face.  
"Good morning," she said around a yawn.  
"Pika!" He rubbed his head against hers and she smiled. With a slight whine she sat up and stretched, eyes hunting for the Jigglypuff she wanted to thank. "Chu pi pi!" She turned her face back to see Pikachu mimicking her stretches to the best of his ability.  
"Aw come on cutie," she said with a smile as she scooped him up and left her room. With a happy cry he moved to her shoulder and Zelda walked down the stairs, ears straining to hear signs of Ike.  
"Ow! Stop biting me," Ike's low voice made her hurry her steps. As she stepped into the kitchen she found a shirtless Ike holding a very unhappy Zubat in one hand while he tried to pull a long thorn from one of its wings. The Zubat shrieked and Ike let out a triumphant noise as he gripped the thorn and let the hissing pokemon go. The offending thorn came free and the Zubat fluttered onto Ike's bare shoulder. "See? I told you I could help."  
Zelda smiled at the duo as she moved farther into the kitchen. Ike picked up a potion and sprayed the wounded wing before he turned his eyes to her. "Good morning," she said in a slightly shaky voice as she remembered the night before.  
"Jigglypuff worked?" Ike asked as he moved to a cabinet. He began grabbing two bowls and Zelda felt a jolt of shock at the horrible scar that ran down the length of his spine.  
"She did... what happened to your back?" She watched him tense with the question, saw him roll his shoulders uncomfortably, and wondered if she should take back her question.  
"Accident overseas," he said in a low voice. "Honorable discharge due to injury. I came back in a wheelchair with practically no hope of walking again." He turned to face her and she swallowed thickly.  
"How are you walking then?" The question barely left her lips and she realized how personal it was. He just chuckled and grabbed a box of cereal from the counter.  
"I found Pikachu while wheeling myself around town, took him to a Pokemon Center, and they gave me an extra Paralyze Heal Spray... he was dumped by his previous human after losing a battle and the nurse was worried he would need some extra care. I brought him and the spray back and just started testing the formula. I knew they didn't work on humans, none of the potions or sprays do, but I wanted to fix my spine."  
"The Burn Heal you used yesterday... you said you modified it-"  
"I've successfully modified all of them," Ike explained as he poured two bowls. "Now every store sells them and hospitals have them on hand. The money helps me run this place." Ike opened the refrigerator and pulled out a gallon of milk, mumbling about needing to get more as if he had not just dropped the biggest bombshell of all time on her. He had to be one of the richest men of all time and there he was, pouring milk over his cereal.  
"You're..." Zelda shook her head as he held out the milk and took it.  
"So I'm thinking we go through the process this morning, like I said there's not exactly a bunch of them here that need serious medical attention right now so it should be an easy day."  
"E!" The fluffy Eevee clicked into the room with a flower in her mouth. Zelda smiled as she stood on her hind legs before Ike, obviously vying for his attention. He gave her a warm smile and crouched on the ground, letting Eevee place the flower behind his ear. Zelda smiled at the tender moment, a little laugh leaving her lips as Pikachu hopped from her shoulder to sniff the bright red bloom. Ike kissed Eevee's head and stood up with a slight wince. His eyes met Zelda's and she felt a blush rise on her cheeks.  
"That's a good look for you," she commented as she poured the rest of the milk over the cereal and he chuckled a little.  
"She likes picking flowers that grow around here," he explained as he began to eat his breakfast. "Pikachu has brought me random little rocks and even an earring... still haven't figured out where he found that."  
Zelda smiled and they both tucked in, the only sound between them that of Eevee's paws as she trotted around the island to stare up at Zelda. "Hi there," she said with a glance to Ike who watched them silently. "You picked a beautiful flower for Ike."  
"E!" The little pokemon tilted her head and sat, eyes on Zelda as she finished the bowl.  
"Alright," Ike took their bowls and set them in the sink, "let me get ready and we'll get started."

XxX  
As they stepped out in the morning sunlight Zelda could not help but smile as she watched a few Bulbasaurs run past the back porch. They were chasing a Butterfree, only stopping when it flew high into the sky.  
"Bulba!" one cried out indignantly as it plopped down on the green grass.  
"Causing trouble already?" Ike asked and the little group of four turned to him. As Ike stepped on the grass they trotted over to him, vines flowing from the flowers on their backs to slap at his legs. Ike knelt down in the middle of the group and Zelda found herself on the outside of the circle as Ike looked them over.  
"Ivy!" A deep rumble came from somewhere to Zelda's left and she smiled at the Ivysaur that moved her way. It stopped before her and stuck out one of its front feet. She bent over and looked at the offered foot, frowning at the long cut on the bottom.  
"Were you getting into trouble?" she asked as she pulled out one of the potions Ike had given her. She shook the bottle and sprayed the foot, happy to see it immediately close itself. "There you go," she said with a nod as the wound finally healed completely. The Ivysaur turned and wandered off, the Bulbasaurs chasing after it happily.  
"They like you already," Ike commented as he stood up. "Usually they don't just walk up to anyone." A proud smile spread across Zelda's face at the praise. She could do this.  
Eevee trotted off ahead of them and jumped over a slithering Ekans, Pikachu on her heels. Ike motioned for Zelda to follow them and she did just that, eyes hunting for other Pokemon. As they moved she found a Squirtle blowing a stream of bubbles for two fascinated little Charmanders. As the bubbles rose higher they leapt into the air with frantic claws, trying to pop them.  
"Having fun?" Ike asked as he stepped over to them. Zelda stopped beside him as a Charmander hopped up and down excitedly.  
"Char char!" It hopped up and Ike knelt down, letting the curious one sniff at the flower still behind his ear.  
"E!" Eevee cried happily and Ike chuckled.  
"That's right, my E gave it to me." He scratched at the Charmander's head and it made a happy trill. Ike looked at a small bump on the other Charmander's head and sprayed it before he stood up.  
"Play nice okay?" With that they moved on deeper into the trees, Zelda smiling at Ike's back as Eevee darted around his feet. Pikachu scurried along with them until a Weedle caught his eye.  
"Pika!" He sniffed at it and Ike hesitated for a moment before continuing.  
"You're just going to leave him there?" Zelda asked as they came to the pond they had been to the day before.  
"He'll catch up," Ike chuckled as he immediately went to scoop up the flailing Magikarp. Zelda shook her head with a smile as a Blastoise poked it's head out of the water near where Ike tossed the Magikarp.  
"Chu!" Pikachu ran into the clearing and Ike looked over at her with a slight grin, the sight making her face warm.  
"Is Weedle okay?" Ike asked as Pikachu climbed up to his shoulder. The yellow furred Pokemon nodded. "Alright... Zelda are you up for another ride on Onix?" Zelda shook her head and felt the ground shift under her feet.  
"Does he always do this?" she asked as Onix leapt from the ground right under Ike's feet. Ike held out a hand and Zelda took it with a small smile. He pulled her up in front of him that time and she blushed as he put an arm around her to keep them steady as Onix took off.  
"If you'd rather," he spoke right in her ear and Zelda felt a nervous flutter in her stomach, "you can ride Arcanine back to the house. He's big enough to carry you back no problem." As they slowed down with a turn Zelda found herself being pressed against Ike's chest.  
"I-I don't mind," she said as they slowed to stop. She could feel the blush all over her face and tried to hide it by hopping down first. She fumbled and Ike caught her with an ease she was surprised by.  
"You okay?" he asked and she nodded as she straightened up. His arms fell to his sides and she purposefully took a few steps away.  
"I'm alright," she said with a firm shake of her head to dislodge the notion of affection that was trying to form in her head and heart. The last thing she needed was to start seeing Ike that way.

XxX  
Ike was glad Zelda was okay as they continued on foot towards a group of fire Pokemon lounging on the burnt grass ahead of them, but he was doing his best to forget his blunder. He knew that she had been through something and not only had he wrapped an arm around her while on Onix... it was difficult to not like the way she felt against him. She was being distant, even as she boldly knelt before the flaming Rapidash to spray some potion on the broken hoof it favored. As he calmly stroked Ponyta and checked if the matting on her back was going away he looked over at Zelda.  
She seemed happy, but the redness that spread to her ears had not gone away and he cursed himself for making her uncomfortable. Right then he promised himself he would keep his distance and not make another mistake.  
"Are you going to check on Charizard?" Zelda's voice pulled him from his thoughts and he nodded.  
"Yeah, I've got to check that wing. Hopefully she'll be happier to see me today." With a small groan he stood up and rolled his shoulders, aware of the stiffness that meant he needed to treat his spine again. "While I check on her I'd like you to look in on the others-" Ike's words were cut off by a happy bird trill and he looked up at the sky to see a massive blue Pokemon flying above him.  
"Who's that?" Zelda asked in awe as the Pokemon began to descend. Ike could not help the smile as a tall and proud Articuno landed before them, wings folding gracefully behind it's back.  
"Zelda, meet the legendary Articuno." Ike held out his arms and the Pokemon hopped forward. He felt the icy chill of the feathers wrap around him and hugged the bird that came up to his chest with a grin. "Articuno here was one of my most difficult and surprising rescues."  
Zelda seemed to be awed into silence as Articuno chirped and lightly pecked at his arms with its icy beak. Ike knew what it was asking for and pulled a fruit from his pocket. He looked at Zelda and tossed it her way. She caught it and Articuno turned in her direction with an indignant chirp. Ike watched her hold out the fruit on a flat palm and Articuno took it delicately.  
"Its beak is cold," Zelda said with a slightly nervous laugh and Ike nodded.  
"Try getting an ice shard to the face while you're spraying a wing." He looked to Articuno, who had the decency to look a little ashamed, as it munched the fruit and spread its wings. With only a soft chirp spared their way it flew off, ice crystals hanging in the air where it stood only a moment before.  
"Wow." Ike nodded at the one word and started walking again, determined to check on Charizard. He felt Zelda fall into step beside him and glanced her way.  
"For Articuno to come up to you like that... you can't be too bad." She smiled at the compliment and Ike tried to not notice how much he liked the way her eyes lit up at the praise. They walked in silence until they reached the massive pen that held Charizard. Ike pointed to the trees on the other side of the pen and cleared his throat. "Just through there you'll find Arcanine and Growlithe, they like to hop around on the rocks. If you can just check them for injuries I'd appreciate it."  
"Are you sure you want to go in there alone?" Zelda seemed hesitant to leave his side and Ike appreciated the concern.  
"I'll be alright. She should be in a much better mood today than yesterday." With that he walked up to the small door in the pen and opened it. "Chary?" Ike called out to the Pokemon warily as he stepped across the threshold.  
As the door shut behind him he heard the low growl from the other end of the pen and held up his hands. He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the darkened pen and watched as the Pokemon unfurled both wings. A small flame danced in front of her snout and Ike felt a touch of pride as her wings both folded perfectly onto her back.  
"Hey beautiful," he spoke in a gentle voice as he stepped forward. "I'm glad your wing is okay." His eyes moved from the dangerous fire breather to the one egg she was hiding behind her and felt a grin tug up one corner of his lips. He halted his steps and knelt down on the dirt floor, hands still up as he bowed his head. "I promise I won't hurt you Chary."  
"Char?" Ike could hear the question in the low growl and shook his head.  
"I only want to take care of you and the little one in that egg." He felt the ground shake as she stepped towards him. When her clawed feet came into view Ike braced himself for the worst, mind already working out how dumb it was to tell Zelda to just go on without him. Instead of the fiery inferno, Ike felt a warm snout touch his cheek.

XxX  
Zelda watched with a smile as the two little Growlithes jumped over the rocks poking up from the ground. Near them a large Arcanine sat, eyes going from pup to pup as they played. She stepped further into the small clearing and immediately Arcanine was on its feet, making Zelda aware of just how massive the Pokemon was.  
"Hi," she greeted as she pulled a fruit from her pocket, glad she had grabbed some before they had left the house, "Ike told me to check on you." She would have felt silly for talking to the Arcanine, but one mention of Ike and it trotted over to her happily. The Growlithes followed, yapping away as she knelt to scratch their ears and inspect them.  
As they ate their fruit she found no signs of injuries and stood up. "Nine?" The Arcanine stepped beside her and she gave it an extra scratch behind the ears.  
"I think I should go back and check on Ike... I'm worried about him in there with that Charizard." Zelda turned to leave, shocked to see Pikachu and Eevee sitting there watching her.  
"Pika pi!" Pikachu cried happily as he moved to her and began hopping up her body to settle on her shoulder. Eevee just stood up and walked back towards the pen, tail flicking with disdain. Zelda shook her head at her only critic and followed, completely shocked by what met her gaze when she stepped into the clearing where the huge pen sat.  
Ike was outside hand running over the scaled sides of the Charizard that he had been burned by the day before. The Pokemon sniffed the air and spread its wings, seemingly happy to be out of the pen. "There we go Chary," Ike spoke in a gentle tone as the Pokemon tensed and took off into the sky. Ike smiled up at the soaring dragon, obviously at ease and lost in the moment of seeing his help work so well. Zelda watched him for a minute, letting the tiny voice she wanted to ignore speak. He was an incredibly attractive man, made moreso by the gentle nature he showed even the worst behaved creatures around him.  
"Arcanine and the two Growlithes are okay," she finally said to announce her presence and Ike turned his gaze her way.  
"Good. I heard a Cubone crying by the mountain a bit ago... I'll go check that out so why don't you head back to the house and do some potion inventory for me? I know I'm low on burn heal," he said with a pointed look at the sky and she snorted, "but if you could check for ice heal and the others I'd appreciate it. I'll probably run into town tomorrow to get more supplies if you're interested in going with me."  
Zelda hesitated to agree. Going into town meant possibly seeing someone, and that was something she wanted to avoid. Yes she was a whole region away from her past but that did not mean that there were no eyes around. Ike seemed to notice her hesitation and shrugged. "You don't have to go, just let me know if you need or want anything and I'll pick it up for you." He turned his eyes back to the sky and cupped his hands around his mouth. "Chary!" The Pokemon angled down and landed with a solid thud right before him. "How's the wing?"  
"Char!" Zelda watched as the dragon spread its wings and let Ike touch the left one delicately.  
"Alright, I'm going to leave the pen open. If you want to move your nest just let me know." The Pokemon nodded and moved back into the pen, Ike dodging the flaming tail with a shake of his head. He turned to her and Zelda realized that she was technically dismissed. With a mumble of realization she started back towards the house, Pikachu still on her shoulder.  
"Pika pi chu," he commented and Zelda smiled at him as she scratched his head.  
"You can come with me, I don't mind."

XxX  
Zelda let Pikachu lead her to a downstairs room that Ike used as storage. On top of a few cases of Super Potion a sleeping Jigglypuff mumbled in her sleep as Zelda counted the stock. After writing down the exact amounts of each of the different types of sprays she left the room with Pikachu to find a Clefairy standing there with a Pichu in her arms.  
The little Pokemon had a big cut on its head and Zelda took it quickly. "Thank you Clefairy." The pink Pokemon bobbed and moved on, leaving Zelda to pull a spray from her pocket and treat the wound.  
"Pi..." the little one seemed dazed and Zelda just held it tighter as the wound closed. She walked towards the kitchen and found Ike bent over, his hands braced on the marble island as he gasped down a jagged breath.  
"Ike?" Zelda called his name with worry. "Are you okay?"  
"Yeah," he said through gritted teeth as he straightened up. "My back is hurting. I'm fine. I've got sandwich ingredients in the fridge and pantry, just make whatever you want." With that he left the room, brushing past her with a grimace. Zelda frowned at his retreating back and glanced down at Pikachu. His ears were lowered, an adorable frown on his yellow face.  
"Should we check on him?" she asked and Pikachu shook his head. Eevee came into the kitchen, saw Zelda, and promptly turned to leave. Zelda sighed and looked down at the Pokemon in her arms. Pichu blinked its wide eyes up at her and she smiled as she set it down. Pikachu immediately went over to the little one and sniffed at its head. As the duo started a chorus of noises Zelda turned and went to follow Ike.  
As she ascended the stairs she worried her lower lip between her teeth. Ike had never pointed out his room to her, but she guessed it was the one at the end of the hall where she heard movement. As she walked towards it she heard him mutter.  
"Just spray my damn back. No, I'm not asking her to..." Curious if there was someone else in the house she had yet to meet, Zelda pushed open the cracked door and froze in shock. Ike was not talking to some mystery human guest, but he was talking to a wanted Pokemon.  
As one Ike and Mewtwo turned her way, the latter looking bothered. "Zelda-" Ike's words were cut off by a detached voice in her head.  
"Please, I mean no harm. Ike is my friend."  
"D-did you just...?" Zelda could hardly finish her question as the Mewtwo nodded.  
"Yes, I'm speaking to you in your mind. I lack the vocal cords to repeat my name over and over as the others." Zelda felt like the world shifted under her feet and backed into the doorframe.  
"Zelda," Ike looked like he was in a lot of pain as he stepped over to her, "Mewtwo is one of the Pokemon I've treated here... Please don't freak out."  
"He's..." Zelda looked past the man before her to the Pokemon hovering in place. "Ike he is dangerous!" She hissed the words and Ike shook his head.  
"He's misunderstood Zelda, not dangerous. Please, please don't freak out."  
"Ike-"  
"Zelda," Mewtwo's voice came into her head again and she shuddered, "I know what they say about me. I did kill those scientists who made me and I'm not sorry about it. It was agony to be an experiment. The thoughts they had... I had to escape. I've been on the run for twenty years, only able to trust the man before you now. Ike saved my life and proved to me that humans were capable of wonderful things."  
Zelda looked to Ike, at a loss for words. He gave her a pain filled grin and turned back to Mewtwo. Zelda watched in silence as Ike held out a Paralysis Heal and Mewtwo pulled it to himself with his mind. Ike turned his back on the Pokemon she had been told was a blind, rage filled killer, and the psychic Pokemon shook the bottle and sprayed down the length of Ike's scarred spine.  
"Has he told you what happened? Why he needs this? Ike saw the worst in humanity and still tries to help. That is why he is my friend."  
"Is he talking to you?" Ike asked and Zelda nodded.  
"I see what happened to you," Mewtwo continued as he sprayed Ike's spine once more, "why you are here... The worry about Ike and his intentions runs deep. I'm sorry you were mistreated so by a trusted person, but from one damaged and untrusting creature to another, Ike is not capable of anything like that." Zelda's eyes widened.  
"Get out of my mind!" she snapped at the hovering Pokemon and he nodded.  
"I apologize. Memories that are painful are easy to see. I see Ike's every time he walks in the room. His family, friends, his old love, the time in the military. .. pain can make a creature cold but he has refused to allow that. If you do not wish to let me in then at least let him in. Ike's gifts are rare and not to be squandered."  
"Zelda?" Ike's voice cut through Mewtwo's monologue and she locked eyes with him. "Are you okay?" His hand touched her cheek and Zelda saw the tears on his fingertips when he pulled his hand back quickly.  
"I'm fine," she lied and Mewtwo shook his head. "I just don't like my mind getting probed." Ike nodded and looked over at the Pokemon.  
"We've talked about this." He listened for a moment and snorted. "I highly doubt she would run to the police about you." Ike looked to Zelda and she shook her head.  
"Does he stay here?" she asked warily.  
"No," Ike said as he slid his shirt back on and smoothed it out. "Just like the others he comes and goes... If you're not too freaked out by him I have a much cuter surprise for you." Zelda let out an incredulous laugh at Mewtwo's indignant expression. "Mew? Come say hi."  
A happy trill filled the room and Zelda felt her mouth drop open in shock as a tiny pink skinned Mew flew in from the open window. It landed on Ike's shoulder and wrapped it's long tail around his neck. Ike smiled at the impossibly alive Pokemon and Zelda felt a happy feeling enter her mind.  
"Mew's a psychic too," Ike explained as he scratched the pink head. "She can't speak to you, but she does put emotions in your head."  
"She's happy." Ike nodded at Zelda's obvious observation. "I thought that Mew was extinct."  
"You're looking at the last one in existence as far as I know," Ike said and Mew hovered from his shoulder to float in between them. She chirped at her and Zelda felt an overwhelming sense of joy. She laughed and stepped forward to pet her, in awe of her soft skin and kind eyes.  
"Mew believes as I do," Mewtwo spoke again in her mind. "That you will be good for Ike just as he will be good for you." Zelda blushed at that but kept petting the impossible Pokemon before her.  
"Are there any other extinct Pokemon I should know about?" she asked as she looked at Ike. He was watching her with a fondness in his gaze that made her heart speed up. Mewtwo's words rang in her head once more, her unsure if he had spoken again or her mind just liked the sound of them. Ike was good, he was not her past.

XXX

So here's chapter 3! Please let me know what you think! Much love, Leigh


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